Breast Cancer Treatment Options
Executive Summary about breast cancer treatment options by Bill Ransom

Over the past decade there has been advancements in many of the treatments
available for Breast Cancer. Through constant research we have come a long way from the limited treatment options available in the past. The top treatment choices available today are surgery, radiation, hormonal treatment (anti-estrogen based) and chemotherapy. If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer and are offered a choice of treatments from this wide array it can be very confusing. There are 3 General Types of Treatment Categories Available Today:

Local Treatment (Regional Treatment) – this type of treatment is localized to the breast and local lymphatics only or adjacent lymphatics to where the tumor was located.

We will pay close attention to Local and Systemic treatments as the choices available to cure breast cancer.

Surgery: surgery has been the number one treatment option available for breast cancer for well over the past century. Today most surgery done for breast cancer is considered breast-conserving therapy or what is commonly called a lumpectomy. Radiation Therapy: radiation therapy consists of the use of high powered X or gamma rays that precisely target the area that is being treated.  The use of radiation therapy for breast cancer is usually given after surgery has been performed and the purpose of the radiation is to reduce the change that the cancer will recur. Radiation reduces the risk of recurrance of breast cancer consdirably.

Hormone Therapy: some breast cancers are hormone-receptor positive. This means that the cancer will grow and spread if the hormone estrogen is present. If this is found to be the case with your type of breast cancer then the us of anti-estrogen hormone therapy will probably be used to lower the levels of estrogen in your body which in turn will prevent the cancer cells from beign stimulated and growing or spreading to other parts of the body Tamoxifen has been used for years as a anti-estrogen hormone therapy drug with breast cancer. In 2005 clinical trials from all of the world provided information saying that aromatase inhibitors worked alot better than Tamoxifen in post menopausal woman with hormone-receptor positive breast cancer. Chemotherapy: in some breast cancers the risk over spread (metastases) is greater than in others. Remember everybody is different and everybody’s cancer will be
different.

Breast Cancer Treatment Options – Facing Your Fears And Moving Ahead
Executive Summary about breast cancer treatment options by Riley Hendersen

After breast cancer diagnosis, time is of the essence to ensure recovery. Digest the news; then start learning, so you’re comfortable with your informed choices for breast cancer treatment.

Building Your Team

Before choosing surgery, you build a breast cancer treatment team. You need surgeons, oncologists, anesthesiologist, and radiologist. Breast surgeon – recommends and performs breast surgery such as mastectomy or lumpectomy under general anesthesia, and a sentinel node biopsy.

Oncologist – also recommends which surgical option is best. Recommends chemotherapies and follows treatment.

Radiologist – performs the sentinel node biopsy (where 2-3 lymph nodes in the armpit or breast are surgically removed) is also on hospital staff.

Radiation oncologist – manages radiation therapy. First Breast Cancer Treatment: Surgery

* Disadvantages: You undergo radiation therapy afterwards; because radiation can cause lumps, you may have more biopsies in the future.

Mastectomy – removes breast tissue, comprised mainly of fat, under general anesthesia. * Advantages: You need no further biopsies on that side; you probably avoid radiation therapy if cancer is detected early.

* Advantages: feeling and looking restored; getting a tummy tuck and a breast lift on the other breast.

Breast Cancer Treatment After Surgery

The oncologist stages the cancer, and recommends various breast cancer treatments. Radiation therapy – usually started after recovery from lumpectomy. * Short-term side effects: fatigue, breast soreness, redness, swelling.

* Long-term side effects: breast shrinkage, tanning, lumpiness.

* Side effects: hair loss, nausea/vomiting, nerve or muscle pain, infection, weight gain, fatigue, difficulty sleeping.

Survival After Therapy

With 2 million breast cancer survivors in America, breast cancer is beatable. Breast cancer treatment requires internal fortitude to reach recovery.

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